


Changes

by KineticKid



Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-04
Updated: 2016-06-03
Packaged: 2018-07-12 02:52:39
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 16,124
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7081957
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KineticKid/pseuds/KineticKid
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Things are different and changes are a happenin’!!  This is more of a PWP/Short Story.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Buffy stares intently at the blonde studying in the library surprised that she doesn’t feel her eyes on her and look up. 

Thinking about the woman for the past couple months has had some decidedly interesting thoughts popping in her head. Things she’d never thought about, or even considered, truth be told. But a conversation with Willow over a month ago had cooled her jets somewhat, after having almost decided to approach Tara. 

When Willow finally admitted what had happened between the two women, and how she had treated her, Buffy was at first shocked, then disgusted with the redhead. When she’d practically yelled at her as to why she would do something so unforgivable and stupid, Willow had finally broken down crying. Explaining she didn’t know why she had done it, but knowing in her heart that Tara would never be able to forgive her. Explaining to Buffy that when she’d finally gotten Tara to talk to her about a month after they broke up, Tara had calmly and coolly told her there would never be an ‘us’ again. That being raped, whether it was physically or mentally, was something she never could forgive.

Buffy shakes her head again, looking down at the floor in remembrance of how she herself had went off on Willow, questioning how she could do that to the woman she supposedly loved, especially after what had happened with Glory. Willow had yelled and screamed back at her, asking her what business it was of hers, anyway. It had shocked and surprised Buffy to say the least. When Buffy remembers how she’d growled at her best friend, getting in her face threateningly and telling her that if she could do something like that to Tara, what would keep her from doing something worse and more disgusting to somebody else, she feels a serious streak of guilt at her attitude towards the redhead. But at the time, she had been so incensed she’d finally slammed out of the house and spent all night looking for vampires, demons and anything else inhuman to kill, the thought rolling around in her head about how Willow had raped Tara. Spike had made the mistake of coming upon her while she was still fuming that night.

Smirking at that remembrance, Buffy runs a hand through her hair. Nobody had even asked where the bleached blonde vampire was. And truthfully, she didn’t even miss the vampire herself, finally having come to the conclusion and realization that all that was between them was hard, cold, violent sex. Something that she thought she needed, but now realizes she needs friendship and warmth instead. Slowly her eyes rise back to the woman that made her understand that fact. Ever since she’d broken down in Tara’s lap, Buffy had gone out of her way to try and spend at least a couple hours a week with the woman. Whether it was meeting her for coffee, or trying to tag along on her and her sister’s movie and shake dates. At first, Buffy had unconsciously been reaching out to touch the blonde, the warmth and calmness from the woman soothing something inside her. Every time Tara would touch her, Buffy would catch herself leaning into the touch, not moving away like she does with so many other people. Closing her eyes, Buffy leans against one of the shelving units, crossing her arms as she considers Tara.

She couldn’t deny the fact that she considers the woman beautiful. It wasn’t something that just smacked her in the face. It was something that crept up on her. The blue eyes that showed so much warmth and caring were something she’d caught herself staring into. When she’d started noticing her lips, wondering what they would feel like, Buffy had been shocked and stayed away from Tara for a couple weeks afterwards, before finally starting to ‘accidentally’ bump into her again. Feeling a yearning deep in her soul for something, not knowing what it is, but whenever she looks at Tara or thinks about her, the yearning deepens. Working deeper into her thoughts, Buffy slowly becomes unaware of what’s around her as she thinks more about the woman she feels she has no right to think about or want.

***

Tara sighs softly as she feels Buffy’s eyes on her, silently wondering if the slayer realizes that her turmoil and feelings are literally boiling to the surface, and even with her not looking at her aura, she can ‘see’ the struggle that she’s going through. Having heard about the blow up between Buffy and Willow, with Willow’s subsequent leaving to go to England, Tara had been surprised to say the least, then she had to explain to Dawn in more detail than she’d wanted about what had happened between her and Willow. 

Unfortunately the argument that Dawn had overheard between Buffy and Willow necessitated that particular discussion. Dawn had been upset with Willow to begin with not understanding why she would do something like that, before she turned her anger on Tara, not believing that the woman wouldn’t tell anyone about what had happened, then move out of the house and away from the people that loved and cared for her. It had been a trying and heartbreaking discussion that she’d had with the teen, but finally Dawn had calmed down and the two of them were back on an even keel. 

Slowly raising her eyes to glance through her hair, she studies Buffy for a few seconds, seeing her looking down at the floor, half hidden in the shadows. Biting her lip, Tara watches as the emotions cross the slayer’s face, the woman’s heartache and confusion tears at Tara’s heart. Not knowing if she should take the initiative and do something totally out of character for her, or wait for Buffy to finish fighting her own battles, Tara sits there undecided. 

Tara thinks back to the time Buffy broke down on her lap, crying about how she’d come back wrong, that she had to because of the disgusting things she was doing with Spike. The surprise Tara had felt when Buffy had wrapped herself around her legs, the once strong and proud slayer broken and crying. She had felt her heart break at that moment for Buffy, and had tried to soothe and calm the slayer as best she could. Their subsequent meetings and coffee dates slowly bringing the slayer out of her fugue state. When Buffy hadn’t shown up for a couple weeks, Tara had started to get worried. When Buffy had finally shown up one day in the cafeteria while she was eating lunch between classes, Tara was surprised at the strong surge of happiness that had coursed through her at the sight. 

Since that time, she’d allowed herself to think about the slayer. She’d slowly come to the conclusion that she cared for Buffy more than as a friend, but was hesitant to say something as she was still unsure of the slayer’s feelings and thoughts on the matter. But watching the slayer now, with the obvious want, desire, and possibly love that is but a tiny flame within her, Tara is fighting against her own nature to initiate an encounter between them and see where it might lead.

Slowly gathering her items together and tucking them away in her book bag, Tara stands, looking at the slayer. Seeing the woman is still lost in her own thoughts, Tara closes the distance between them, stopping just outside the slayer’s personal space. Tara bites her lip as she considers how to start this conversation. 

“I think we need to talk.” Tara finally whispers, watching as Buffy jerks her head up to stare at her in surprise and confusion. “Please.” 

Buffy blinks and slowly follows Tara as the Wiccan leaves the library. Realizing that Tara was heading towards her dorm room, Buffy hesitates for a second before following her into the dorm and up the stairs. Silently wondering what Tara wants to talk about, but unable to question the blonde as she’s afraid if she opens her mouth she’s going to say something stupid and end up losing Tara’s friendship.

Tara’s slightly surprised at the slayer following her without saying anything, reaching her door she quickly unlocks it looking towards Buffy as she holds the door open for the slayer to precede her into the room. Seeing the confusion, followed by want, quickly followed by sadness crossing the slayer’s hazel eyes, Tara slowly follows Buffy into her room. Turning and locking the door, Tara drops her book bag by the desk before leaning down and pulling a couple waters from her refrigerator, handing one to Buffy. 

Looking down at the water now in her hand to look back up at Tara, Buffy blinks and watches as Tara slides off her shoes before easing onto the bed, tucking her legs under her and looking up with serious blue eyes at her. “What’s wrong?” Buffy finally questions, not moving from the spot she’s standing.

Tara tilts her head, considering the slayer for a few minutes. “I’m not sure that something is wrong as much as the fact that things seem to be somewhat changing.” Tara offers quietly, allowing a small smile to cross her face at the confusion on Buffy’s face. “Come here and sit, Buffy.” Tara orders softly, patting the bed beside her. 

Buffy feels her legs move without her mind giving them the order to walk to the bed. Sitting on the edge, Buffy leans down and unties her boots, sliding them off before climbing up to sit beside Tara with her back against the headboard, stretching her legs out in front of her. “You know Willow went to England?” Buffy questions softly.

“Yes.” Tara sighs quietly. “I also know about the argument you two had. Dawn heard everything and she and I had a serious discussion afterwards.” Tara explains softly.

Buffy turns surprised eyes to Tara, finally deciding to ask a question that had been rattling around in her head since she found out what Willow had done to her. “Why didn’t you say anything to any of us?” 

Tara shrugs her shoulders and plays with the label on her bottle. “What could I say, Buffy? Go to Xander, her best friend since forever and tell him she raped my mind? He would have made up excuse after excuse, or flat out wouldn’t have believed me. Anya?” Tara chuckles quietly at the thought. “She would have probably offered to get D’Hoffryn to intercede on my behalf. Dawn? What could she do?” Tara shifts on the bed, pulling her knees up against her chest and wrapping her arms around her legs, staring into the distance. 

“What about me?” Buffy finally questions softly after a few minutes of watching Tara sink into her thoughts. 

Tara turns her head to look at Buffy for a moment, before slowly shaking her head and looking away again. “We had practically just found out that we ripped you from Heaven, Buffy. You were dealing with your own problems and anger that we had caused you. What right did I have to dump my problems on you? You may be the slayer, and a wonderful person, but you weren’t put on this earth to solve my problems.” Tara explains softly, pulling her arms tighter around her legs as she stares at the door to her room, not seeing it as she thinks about what had happened in the last year. 

Buffy lets Tara’s words rattle around her head, realizing that out of everyone, Tara’s the only one that never expected anything from her. Whenever she had needed someone to talk to, Tara had always been there for her... and everyone else, Buffy finally realizes. Crossing her right leg over her left, Buffy plucks at her jeans as she considers the woman sitting beside her, lost in her own thoughts. “We all come to you when we need someone to talk to, or someone to cry on. Who do you go to when you need someone, Tara?” Buffy finally questions softly.

Tara barely raises her shoulder and drops it back down, not really answering the slayer’s question. 

Buffy stiffens and turns to look intently at Tara. “Who do you talk to, Tara?” Buffy questions with a lot more force, hoping and praying that there was someone for the blonde to talk to, but the more she thinks about it, she slowly comes to the conclusion that Tara didn’t have anyone besides their group. 

Tara turns her gaze on Buffy, watching as the dawning realization crosses her eyes. Blinking slowly, Tara turns back to look at the door again. “I don’t have any family, Buffy. I’m pretty much dead to my blood relatives, which is no loss. As for my family here, they are Willow’s family, not mine. I’m the ex that slowly is pushed out of the family that I was married into.” Tara shrugs her shoulders at the thought. “It is what it is.” 

“BULLSHIT!” Buffy growls angrily, her eyes lit with a passion and fire that had been lacking since before she had died. Feeling her heart being torn to shreds by the Wiccan’s honest words, knowing Tara honestly looked at it that way, and that she didn’t really think anything about being treated like an outcast hitting Buffy harder than anything else. 

Tara jerks her head to look at the slayer in surprise at the angry word torn from Buffy’s mouth, blinking in surprise at the anger, pain, and sorrow showing in the hazel depths. “Buffy...” Tara starts and stops, not knowing what she’s going to say, surprised to say the least at the slayer’s response to her words. “What I said wasn’t anything against you or the rest of the group. It’s just the way it is. I understand that.” Tara tries to explain, her brows furrowing as Buffy growls quietly.

“That isn’t the way it is.” Buffy hops off the bed, starting to stride back and forth as much as the small room will allow. “You aren’t the ‘ex’ that needs to be ignored and forgotten. I told you once, you’re family. And you are, no matter whether you’re with Willow or not!” Buffy runs a hand roughly through her hair. “Damn it, Tara! Don’t you know you’re the one piece of sanity in my so-called life? That if it wasn’t for you, I’d probably be dead now? Willow may have brought my body back to life, but you’re the reason that I’m starting to care again!” Buffy pounds her chest with a fist as she looks over at Tara on her next turn. “YOU are the reason why my heart starts to speed up. GOD!” Buffy strides the short distance to the side of the bed closest to Tara, dropping to her knees as she stares at the Wiccan. “Do you have the slightest clue what you do to me? You make me feel and think things I have never felt or thought about before. Things I have no right to think or feel!”

Tara stares stunned at Buffy watching her rant as she strides back and forth, her eyes following the blonde slayer as she finally drops to the floor beside the bed, inches from her. When she sees the tears come to Buffy’s eyes with her last words, Tara frowns at the sight. “Buffy, sweetie.” Tara calls soothingly to the slayer, wrapping her hands gently around her arm, urging the blonde up onto the bed, wrapping her arms around the crying slayer. “Goddess, Buffy! Why didn’t you say something to me?” Tara strokes a hand softly over Buffy’s hair as the slayer burrows against her neck, the tears soaking her shirt. 

“What could I say?” Buffy whimpers quietly, her hand clenching Tara’s shirt in a desperate grip. “Let’s try this… ‘Hey, Tara! I know you’re my best friend’s ex-girlfriend, and she like totally fucked you up. But I’ve been really thinking about you a lot lately, and want to get to know you better. Oh, and by the way, how do you feel about the thought that I think I’m falling in love with you?’ Like that would go over so well.” Buffy bitches as she inhales, hiccupping lightly as the tears slowly disappear.

Tara swallows hard at the slayer’s words, even with knowing how the slayer felt from her projected feelings, Buffy coming out and admitting it so blatantly meaning so much more. Gently shifting and urging Buffy’s face up, Tara smiles softly. “I think that would go over extremely well.” Tara admits quietly before leaning down and caressing her lips over Buffy’s multiple times before easing away from the slayer. 

“Uh, well, uh…” Buffy shakes her head in surprise, her eyes finally dropping to Tara’s lips for a few minutes. Running her tongue over her bottom lip as it finally sinks in that Tara kissed her she lifts her stunned eyes to stare at Tara. “You’re not kicking me out.” Buffy finally mutters.

“Why would I?” Tara smiles softly at Buffy, watching the emotions crossing her face. 

“Because I just practically told you that I loved you, and I am like the worst possible person for you.” Buffy blinks as she tries to understand the fact that Tara was smiling at her, instead of mojo-ing her ass out of here and telling her to leave her the hell alone.

Tara tilts her head as she considers the slayer for long moments, her eyes searching the hazel depths. “May I ask you a few questions?”

Buffy nods her head as she stares at the Wiccan, a confused look on her face. 

Tara strokes her thumb softly over Buffy’s cheek as she looks into Buffy’s eyes. “Would you ever knowingly hurt me, whether it be physically or mentally?”

“God no!” Buffy answers quickly and hoarsely, the look of horror on her face obvious. 

“If we had an argument, would you try and talk it out, or would you ignore it and hope it went away?” Tara questions softly.

Buffy thinks heavily about the question for a few minutes. “I wouldn’t ignore it and hope it went away. But depending on the argument, I might take off and look for an outlet for the anger, then come back after I’d calmed down.” Buffy admits honestly, focusing back in on Tara’s smiling blue eyes.

“That’s extremely acceptable. Continuing an argument while angry is counterproductive, since neither side will actually listen to what the other person is saying. Taking time off and trying to calm down is the best thing to do in that case.” Tara smiles softly at Buffy.

Buffy looks intently at Tara as she wonders where Tara’s going with these questions. “Tara? Why are you asking me these things?”

Tara chuckles quietly. “How do you feel about being made love to by a woman… and making love to a woman, Buffy?” Tara finally questions, sidestepping Buffy’s question. 

Buffy blushes darkly as she stares at Tara. “I…” Buffy inhales deeply, closing her eyes. “Are we talking any woman, or a particular woman?”

“Me.” Tara answers Buffy’s question, her voice deeper than normal. 

“I would like to know what that feels like, to make love to you… be made love to by you.” Buffy swallows, her eyes slowly filling with tears. “You can’t want me, Tara. The things I’ve done…”

“Shhh.” Tara shakes her head as she brushes her thumb over Buffy’s lips. “I know what you’re thinking about. You’re thinking about you and Spike. Honey, I don’t mean this in a bad way, so please, PLEASE, don’t take it that way… but you needed something we couldn’t give you, and unfortunately you used poor judgment and accepted Spike’s offer. If you had it to do over again, would you?”

“FUCK NO!” Buffy practically yells her eyes wide as she stares at Tara. “There’s no way I’d ever do that again.” 

“Easy, honey. Easy.” Tara soothes Buffy, stroking the irate slayer’s neck and shoulders down her arms trying to calm her down. “You’d just had a traumatizing experience, you didn’t know up from down when you came back. I dare say you weren’t thinking quite right at that time. But now you’re becoming more like yourself, more like the Buffy we know and love.”

Buffy opens her mouth and shuts it a couple times as she stares into blue eyes. “Love?” Buffy finally zeroes in on that one word, her voice breaking on the word.

Tara clasps both of Buffy’s hands in hers, softly stroking her thumbs over the back of the strong hands. “Tomorrow’s Friday. Would you like to go out to dinner, or better yet I could pick up pork chops and other items to fix dinner at your house? I know Dawn was going to stay with one of her girlfriend’s.” 

Buffy shakes her head as Tara changes subjects on her. “Damn it, Tara!” 

Tara laughs softly before leaning in and kissing Buffy gently, not deepening the kiss, just a gentle, loving kiss. Shifting around the slayer and urging Buffy up, she walks to the door. “You work early shift tomorrow at the DMP, right?” When Buffy nods half-heartedly, her eyes slightly dazed, Tara continues softly. “How about I plan on meeting you at your house around 3:30? I’ll help you out around the house, then fix your favorite for dinner.”

Buffy slowly nods her head, her eyes finally focusing in back on Tara. “Okay.” 

“Be careful on patrol tonight, love.” Tara murmurs quietly as she opens her door, stopping the slayer before she leaves the room completely. Cupping the slayer’s neck in her hand, she leans down the short distance and kisses Buffy firmly, teasing the slayer’s lips with her tongue. Dipping inside the slayer’s mouth as Buffy eagerly opens her lips to her exploration. Enjoying the tantalizing kiss for a few moments, Tara finally backs away from Buffy, breathing heavily and groaning as she feels the slayer’s strong fingers stroking over her waist. Gently pushing Buffy out the door, Tara grins crookedly at the slayer. “I love you, honey. Save some of that for tomorrow.” 

Buffy stares at the shut door, her hand reaching up to brush over her tingling lips. “She kissed me. No, not kissed, rocked my world.” Buffy whispers softly. As Buffy thinks a little more, a huge smile crosses her face. “She loves me? Hot damn!” Buffy jumps up, punching the air before trotting out of the dorm feeling happier and lighter than she can remember feeling in years.

Tara smiles from where she’s leaning against her door as she hears Buffy. “Be careful, love. I’d like the chance to get to know you better.” 

***


	2. Chapter 2

Buffy shakes her head and looks confusedly at Lorraine. “Did you say something?”

“Where have you been today?” Lorraine questions curiously, having noticed Buffy doing her job, but her mind obviously being elsewhere.

“Ummm.” Buffy looks around the DMP and smiles hopefully at her boss. “Working at the Double Meat Palace?”

Lorraine chuckles quietly and shakes her head. “Your body may have been here, but your mind definitely wasn’t. Your shift was over fifteen minutes ago, Buffy.”

“What?” Buffy squeaks as she looks at the clock. “Shit, I’m going to be late…” Buffy hurriedly runs to the back, clocking out before yanking off her hat tossing it on top of the small row of lockers. Grabbing her paycheck along with her ID, she runs back out. “See you next week!” Buffy waves as she runs out the door.

Lorraine laughs quietly at the small blonde’s exuberance. “Have a good weekend, Buffy. Damn girl! Something definitely happened between yesterday and today. Enjoy your weekend off.” Lorraine comments to herself as she double-checks everything to make sure they’re ready for the evening crowd.

***

Buffy stops at the bank, putting part of her check to her mortgage and cashing the rest before jogging home. Smiling at the sight of Tara sitting calmly on the front steps waiting for her. “You could have gone in.” Buffy waves to the house.

“I don’t have a key, sweetie.” Tara comments quietly, looking at the smiling slayer.

“Why not?” Buffy frowns heavily as she trots up the stairs as Tara stands, holding a couple bags in her hands.

“I gave it back when I moved out.” Tara shrugs, smiling softly. Seeing Buffy stop and stare at her in disbelief, Tara sighs quietly. “I wasn’t living here any longer, sweetie. I didn’t feel right having a key to your house.”

“That’s going to be remedied here soon.” Buffy grumbles as she unlocks the door before turning back to take the bags from Tara and walk into the house, a bemused Tara slowly following behind her.

Tara tilts her head as she follows the slayer into the kitchen, wondering exactly what way the slayer’s comment was meant. Surprised when Buffy reaches up to grab the extra keys on the hanger and tosses them to her. Catching them quickly, Tara laughs softly. 

“I’d help, but I’m like…” Buffy wrinkles her nose and pulls on her polyester shirt.

“Go, Buffy. I’ll be here.” Tara’s eyes twinkle as Buffy’s eyes light up at her comment. Chuckling quietly as Buffy runs out of the kitchen and pounds up the stairs. “Goddess, you’re like a kid at Christmas.” Tara quickly puts away the items in the refrigerator that would be needed later and starts working on slicing the thick pork chops after cheating and using the pre-made stuffing. Smiling as she hears Buffy pound back down the stairs.

Looking over her shoulder, Tara laughs softly at the sight of Buffy standing there, her hair still wet from her shower, before her laughter slowly fades away as her eyes continue down the slayer, noticing that the woman hadn’t bothered putting on a bra and her nipples were poking insistently at the front of the damp shirt. Swallowing hard, Tara tears her eyes away from the slayer and goes back to finishing stuffing the pork chops. 

Buffy tilts her head, smiling at Tara until Tara stops laughing. Looking down, Buffy bites her lip as she realizes what had stopped the Wiccan’s laughter. “So, either I should have put on a bra or worn a different color than white, I take it?”

Tara whimpers loudly, before slowly shaking her head. “Not on my account, you don’t have to.”

“Good. Wasn’t planning on changing anyway.” Buffy smirks as she hears a loud groan coming from Tara. 

Tara slides the pork chops in the oven before placing the bowl and utensils in the sink and washing her hands thoroughly, taking her time as she tries to compose herself. Slowly turning around she crosses her arms over her chest and stares at Buffy for a few minutes.

Buffy unconsciously shifts as she sees the serious look in Tara’s blue eyes, silently wondering if she’d done or said something to make Tara look like that.

Dropping her arms as she closes the distance between them after seeing the worry come across Buffy’s face, Tara stops in front of the slayer and strokes her fingers gently down her cheek. “You better be prepared for the consequences of teasing me, Buffy. It’s been eight months, I enjoy making love and being made love to, and it’s something that I have been missing in my life. This will be the only warning you get.” Tara warns softly before kissing Buffy with a small amount of the hunger and desire within her, slowly breaking away from the slayer’s intoxicating lips as the need for oxygen becomes necessary. Licking her lips, Tara slowly makes her way out of the kitchen, leaving a stunned Buffy standing alone in the room.

Buffy unconsciously reaches for the island to hold her up as her knees feel like Jell-o after Tara leaves her. A low whimper escaping her lips as she finally settles onto a stool and drops her head onto the island. Breathing heavily with desire, Buffy finally whispers to the empty room. “Kiss me like that again, and we’ll be making love wherever we happen to be.”

***

Tara chuckles quietly as she heads up the stairs, deciding to gather the hampers to start on the laundry. Surprised when she walks into Willow’s room. The sight of the room stripped of all personal items shocking her. Knowing Willow had left for England, but not realizing the redhead had obviously moved out of the house. Silently wondering how Buffy’s able to meet the mortgage along with the electricity, water and sewer on what she’s making. Knowing even with Willow giving the majority of the money her parents sent her to the slayer, it probably wasn’t enough to quite make all the payments.

Her head dropping as she heads to the slayer’s room, Tara grabs the hamper, pulling it out of the room without even looking at the room that she had spent more time in after Buffy had died than she ever did while the slayer was alive. Remembering the numerous times she’d walk into the room to comfort Dawn as the teen cried and grieved over her sister. Sighing quietly, Tara slowly makes her way down the stairs.

Stopping at the entrance to the kitchen, Tara stares at Buffy for a few minutes until the slayer tilts her head and looks at her from where she’d had it down on the counter. “I don’t mean this to sound as blunt as it’s going to, but…” Tara hesitates for a minute, taking a deep breath. “How the hell are you able to make ends meet on what you make at the DMP?”

Buffy looks down and shakes her head. “I can’t. I’m barely scraping by.” Buffy admits softly, her eyes sad as she looks at Tara. “I’d sell the house, but it would honestly cost just as much to rent an apartment.” Buffy shrugs and looks away. “I’ve tried to get in touch with dad to help me out, but I haven’t heard anything back from him. I work whatever overtime Lorraine can throw my way…”

“And now you don’t even have Willow’s money coming in to help.” Tara runs a shaky hand through her hair as she considers Buffy for a few minutes. “Do you know the exact amounts of what you owe?”

Buffy shakes her head, her eyes showing the pain of their discussion. “I can get it, but I don’t know off the top of my head. I honestly try not to think about it.”

“I’m sorry for asking these things, sweetie, but I do have a reason. Is Willow planning on moving back in when she comes back from England?” Tara leaves the hampers by the door to the basement and walks over to sit beside Buffy at the island. 

“I honestly don’t know. After our blow up and her moving out we didn’t really talk much.” Buffy admits softly. 

Tara gently clasps Buffy’s hand in hers, prying the slayer’s fist open and threading their fingers together. “Can I use your phone, sweetie? I’ll reimburse you for the cost of the phone call.”

“Of course you can. Don’t worry about…” Buffy trails off as Tara presses a finger to her lips stopping her words.

“I do worry, so don’t say it.” Tara gently traces her finger over Buffy’s bottom lip. Mentally figuring the time, Tara winces realizing it should be a little after midnight in England. Quickly picking up the phone, Tara smiles at Buffy. “Do you mind taking the clothes down to the basement for me?”

Buffy rolls her eyes and nods her head. “After all they’re our clothes.” Buffy grumbles as she picks up the full hampers and opens the door to the basement to carry them down.

Tara smiles softly at Buffy before she becomes serious as she punches in the long set of numbers to connect her with Mr. Giles.

***

Tara stares out at the back yard after getting off the phone with Mr. Giles. Surprised to learn that Willow had her college transcripts transferred to Oxford and would be finishing out the rest of her years at the University in England. 

Tapping the phone on her chin, Tara silently debates on how to proceed. Having debated on leaving after she finished school this year, but now re-thinking that decision with Buffy now in the picture in more than a friend capacity. Hearing Buffy coming back into the kitchen after having run the vacuum cleaner upstairs, Tara smiles as she waits to see if the slayer will say something or be quiet like she’d been the other two times she’d come through the kitchen when she’d been talking with Mr. Giles. Knowing the slayer was curious as hell about what had been said, and definitely was looking for excuses to come to the kitchen.

Buffy shifts uncomfortably from foot to foot as she stares at Tara’s back. Feeling nervous and not liking the feeling she sighs quietly. “Tara?”

Tara chuckles softly and slowly turns to look at Buffy. “She’s staying in England and finishing out her college degrees there while working with the Coven. She isn’t planning on coming back to the US anytime soon.” Tara decides to check on the food, shutting the door behind her and replacing the phone on her way by. Pulling open the oven door, she eyes the pork chops figuring they need another five or so minutes as she closes it. Heading back to the refrigerator she pulls out all the items she’d bought for a salad.

Buffy silently watches Tara, not knowing what to say about Willow staying in England. Part of her upset that the redhead hadn’t told her what was going on, and another part of her happy that she was getting help. And a very, very small voice was whispering in her mind that it opened the way for her and Tara to not have to worry about Willow going crazy when she found out about them. Feeling a streak of guilt at the thought, Buffy shifts to look out the door to the yard. Realizing she needs to take some time out soon to mow the grass, sighing at the sight of her mom’s flower beds looking scraggly and overgrown with weeds. “I need to work on the yard.” Buffy sighs at the sight.

“I’ll help, if you would like me to.” Tara offers as she dices the tomato, placing the small hunks on the salad before thinly slicing the red onion and radishes, tossing them on the salad also.

“You don’t have to, Tara.” Buffy turns to look at the blonde.

“I know I don’t have to, Buffy. I was offering to help you.” Tara glances up at Buffy, smiling softly at the slayer. “You don’t always have to do everything yourself, you know. Asking for help is allowed.”

Buffy nods as she looks down at the floor. “I have this weekend off from work. Would you…” Buffy crosses her arms over her chest and sighs quietly. “Do you have any plans this weekend?” Buffy finally questions instead.

“Yes, I do.” Tara finishes the salad, standing to grab the dressings out of the refrigerator. “I’m planning on coming here bright and early tomorrow to help you work on the yard. And if you’ve kept up on the maintenance for the Jeep, maybe we can go and pick up some flats of flowers to plant while we’re at it.”

Buffy jerks her head up, a huge smile crossing her face from where she’d at first felt a streak of pain with Tara’s first comment. “You know, if you wanted to you could just stay here this weekend, that way you aren’t going back and forth to your dorm room.” Buffy hesitantly offers.

Tara purses her lips, wondering how good of an idea it would be to stay at the house with Buffy alone. Pressing the button on the microwave to heat up the green peas, Tara walks to the oven, opening and pulling out the pork chops. Turning the oven off, she continues to think, knowing that there would be a very good possibility that if she stayed here that she and Buffy would probably sleep together. Knowing the woman for the past couple years and realizing that she’s fallen in love with her over a month ago, she doesn’t really have a problem with it. But silently wonders how ready Buffy would be for a more physical relationship between them.

Buffy watches as Tara seems to be lost in thought while she works on finishing supper. Sighing quietly, Buffy pulls down the plates and silverware, taking them to the dining room to set the table before coming back in to gather the salad and salad dressings as Tara slowly places the pork chops on a large platter. Knowing just by the way Tara’s moving that the Wiccan obviously is still lost in thought and not paying total attention to the food.

Tara finishes placing the pork chops on the platter and blinks in surprise as she realizes Buffy has already taken everything into the dining room. Picking up the platter she carries it in and sets it down on the table. Looking at the slightly fidgeting slayer who’s standing by the table, Tara closes the distance between them and wraps her arms around her, hugging her gently.

“I didn’t mean we had to do anything, I mean… I just thought maybe you’d like to stay here. We could have a movie fest and…” Buffy rambles quickly before Tara’s lips cover hers gently, effectively stopping her words. Melting into the woman’s body, Buffy wraps her arms around Tara’s neck and presses harder against Tara as the Wiccan slowly deepens the kiss. Buffy whimpers as Tara’s tongue slowly swirls around hers teasingly before disappearing. Eagerly chasing after it, Buffy growls as Tara’s lips capture her and she sucks softly on the muscle before finally releasing it to nip gently on the tip. 

Finally breaking the kiss and tilting her head against Buffy’s, Tara pants quietly as she tries to get control of her hormones. Slowly stroking her hands up and down Buffy’s back, she has to smile at the rough groan coming from Buffy even as the slayer presses her body even more firmly against her. Shifting slightly, Tara smirks as Buffy cries out softly and rocks against the thigh she’d just pressed against the slayer’s apex. “If I stay, I don’t think we’ll be able to keep from becoming physical, Buffy. And honestly, I don’t know if you’re ready for that or not.”

Buffy swallows hard and stops the rocking motion, though she presses her body tightly against Tara’s thigh. Moving her head she buries her face in Tara’s neck, pressing a hot, wet kiss on the flesh there, smiling as she feels and hears the Wiccan’s fast, hard heartbeat. Trying not to breathe too deeply as she’d already gotten a serious whiff of Tara’s arousal, knowing if she lets it invade her senses, they probably wouldn’t be eating dinner for a few hours. “Tara, I’ve been fighting my feelings for you literally for months now. Ever since I broke down in your lap telling you about what I had been doing with Spike, I kept thinking about you.”

Tara presses her lips softly against Buffy’s head as she continues to stroke her hands up and down Buffy’s back as the slayer slowly relaxes against her. “Speaking of the vampire…” Tara starts only to be interrupted by the surprisingly infectious laughter of the slayer.

Buffy finally gets control of her laughter as she leans back from Tara, grinning hugely even as she wipes the tears from her face. “Unfortunately… Or maybe that should be fortunately, he tried to push his luck with me after my argument with Willow. I was extremely pissed off about what she’d done to you and was literally hunting down every demon I could find to take my anger out on. I think he lasted all of two minutes.” Buffy finally admits.

Tara blinks in surprise before wiping a hand over her face trying to keep from laughing. “I…” Tara shakes her head and finally laughs quietly. 

“He was hoping for a little different outcome, I believe.” Buffy shrugs, smiling at the Wiccan. Sighing quietly she slowly becomes serious. “I still haven’t told Dawn, you’re actually the first person I’ve told.”

“Dawn will probably be upset.” Tara admits quietly, her eyes serious. “And I honestly don’t think you want to tell her exactly what was going on between you two, though you could let her know that he was able to hurt you and took advantage of it whenever possible.”

“I’d rather not.” Buffy admits softly, hugging Tara tightly before releasing her completely. “She’ll keep questioning and bugging me until I tell her everything, and I’d rather her not hate me more than she already does.”

“She doesn’t hate you, honey.” Tara whispers, stroking a finger down Buffy’s cheek. “Why don’t we eat, then we can have this discussion afterwards?”

“Okay. Even though I’d rather forgo the discussion altogether, but I know we need to talk about things.” Buffy half smiles at Tara, accepting the soft kiss and returning it before she sits down.

“What do you want to drink?” Tara starts to head back to the kitchen.

“Milk, please.” Buffy calls out to Tara as she starts placing the food on her plate.

***


	3. Chapter 3

Tara sighs quietly as she looks at the clock. By the time they had finished dinner and cleaned up, Buffy admitted she should go do a patrol, since dusk had settled in. Tara had accepted the keys for the Jeep, driving back to the college campus with Buffy sitting quietly beside her, lost in her own thoughts. The slayer had walked her to her room, given her a quick kiss before trotting out to do patrol, planning on meeting her back at the house. Now Tara looks up at the clock on the mantle as she finishes folding the last of the clothes. Knowing that it’s still early and Buffy probably wouldn’t be home for at least another hour.

Taking the clothes upstairs, Tara places Buffy’s clothes on her dresser while placing Dawn’s on her bed. Going back to Buffy’s bedroom door, Tara looks over the room, smiling softly at the sight of the girly looking room. Shaking her head at the thought of the small petite woman that is definitely all woman, being the strong, kick ass demon fighter that she is. 

“Oh, love. What you’ve gone through and had to deal with over the years. It’s made you stronger than probably even you realize.” Tara nibbles her bottom lip, her eyes sad about the losses and pain that Buffy had gone through, knowing that she probably isn’t even aware of a tenth of what happened over the years. Making her way back downstairs, she heads to the kitchen, deciding to make brownies while she waits. Knowing Buffy will probably be upset, but she had stopped on the way back home to pick up some much needed groceries and staples. Tara stops as she realizes what she’d thought. “This is home to me. Even with the pain and heartache that I’ve gone through that’s happened here… Being here feels right.” Tara whispers softly, a small tear streaking down her face at the thought. 

***

Buffy unlocks the door and quietly enters the house, shutting and locking it behind her as she sniffs the air. Heading towards the kitchen after noticing Tara wasn’t in the living room, Buffy smiles at the sight of a plate with a couple large brownies and a huge glass of milk sitting on the island. Lifting her gaze to Tara leaning comfortably against the counter, Buffy quirks an eyebrow. “Brownie Fairy come to visit?”

“You could say that.” Tara chuckles quietly. “Eat, they’re still warm.” Tara watches as the smile on Buffy’s face becomes bigger even as the slayer steps up beside her to wash her hands. “How was patrol?”

“Kinda quiet, honestly.” Buffy admits as she dries her hands, licking her lips as she sits down and picks up one of the brownies, taking mental note that it was still warm as she bites into it, moaning quietly at the dark, chocolate-y flavor of the chewy brownies.

Tara laughs before grabbing a towel and opening the dishwasher to finish drying and putting away the clean dishes. “You didn’t get hurt or anything?”

“No. Didn’t even lay a finger on me.” Buffy sips the milk, watching intently as Tara leans over the dishwasher, unconsciously shifting up off her seat to get a better look at the woman before realizing what she’s doing and blushes, sitting back down to work her way through her brownies.

“It is getting to be that time of the year again, isn’t it?” Tara grins crookedly at Buffy, her eyes twinkling at the slayer.

“Thank goodness. I won’t complain about the lack of evilness happening.” Buffy licks her lips as she finishes her brownies and milk. 

“I picked up a couple movies on my way back home, if you want to get comfortable, we can curl up and watch them?” Tara makes the statement sound more like a question, not knowing if maybe the slayer would prefer to do something else.

Buffy shifts to place the plate and glass in the sink, rinsing the items as she looks at Tara. “You also stopped at the grocery store, didn’t you?” Buffy looks pointedly at the pan of brownies, knowing she didn’t have the ingredients to make them.

“Maybe?” Tara grins crookedly at the slayer, her eyes twinkling. “I picked up a few things, so we can have a good breakfast before we go plant shopping. Do you have any idea what kind of plants you would like to buy?” 

Buffy leans in against Tara and hesitantly wraps her arm around her waist. “I don’t really have the money to buy plants. I figure if I can at least mow the grass and weed the flower beds, it’ll look better.” 

Tara wraps her arm around Buffy’s shoulders and gently hugs her against her side, while running her free hand over Buffy’s forearm. “How would you feel about having a roomie again?” Tara questions softly. 

Buffy’s eyes light up and she looks at Tara. “You’re not teasing me, are you?”

Tara chuckles and shakes her head. “I’d never tease about something like this, sweetie. The school year’s almost over, and I was already debating on what I was going to do and where I was going before you finally decided to act upon the feelings you have.” 

“Going?” Buffy’s brows furrow as she runs the witch’s words through her head again. “You were going to leave?” Buffy finally realizes, her eyes opening wide in surprise and hurt.

Tara slowly nods her head, before commenting softly. “Were is the operative word in that sentence, Buffy. I don’t know where I was going, so I would have stayed around for a while longer until I made a decision.”

Buffy swallows and looks intently at Tara. “What if I hadn’t owned up to how I felt for you? Would you have left?” Buffy sees the barely noticeable head nod come from Tara in answer. Exhaling loudly, Buffy eases her hand from around Tara’s waist and rubs it over her eyes. “But you love me, why would you leave?”

“I would have left if I thought there was no chance for anything to happen between us. Life is hard enough as is, without throwing loving you into the mix with no chance of it being returned. I never would have probably moved on to someone else if you were always there, within reach.” Tara admits softly, looking down at the floor. “Self masochism isn’t something I’m into, Buffy.”

“Damn it, Tara. Why didn’t you say something to me? I mean, you could have asked me on a date, or asked if I cared about you, or said you cared about me.” Buffy starts off strong, slowly her voice lowering until she’s practically whispering on the last few words.

“I sort of, finally did.” Tara points out quietly.

Buffy’s eyes dart up to Tara, searching the hesitant blue eyes watching her. 

“You don’t know how hard it is for me to initiate something, Buffy. Willow’s and my relationship we just slowly worked into. Honestly for the longest time, I didn’t know if she was just being friends with me, or if she liked me more than that. She always sent me mixed signals. Hell, we’d been dating more or less for almost three months before we kissed for the first time.” Tara finally admits as she looks down at her shirt, brushing at imaginary dirt.

“Tara.” Buffy whispers, placing a finger under her chin and gently urging Tara to look at her. “When exactly did you meet Willow?”

“At the Wicca Group meeting right before the Gentlemen appeared on the scene. I went to find her, since I knew she was a real witch to see if the two of us combined might be able to break the spell. The Gentlemen ended up chasing me, and Willow and I went running from them, finally barricading ourselves in the laundry room.” Tara explains quietly. 

“That long.” Buffy shakes her head. “Tara, you’re not the shy, scared young woman you were then.”

“Part of me is.” Tara slowly relaxes and smiles as Buffy quirks an eyebrow at her in disbelief. “When it comes to relationships, or caring about someone, I will probably always take things extremely slowly. I’ve known you for years, and cared about you as a friend for years. Not long ago, the feelings started growing stronger and deeper. I would have never pushed for a relationship with you, if it hadn’t been for the way you were acting, Buffy. Your feelings were practically shouting at me, which is something you don’t usually allow to happen.”

Buffy furrows her brows as she looks at Tara. “What do you mean by it isn’t something that I usually allow to happen?”

“You, my dear slayer, have a tendency to keep your emotions and feelings locked away tightly.” Tara places her hand gently over Buffy’s chest as she looks into confused hazel eyes. “Last night while you were stalking me in the library…” Tara allows her lips to curl up into a smirk when Buffy actually blushes at her comment. “All your feelings were literally swirling around you. It took everything in me to approach you, Buffy. Normally I would have waited for you to make a decision and either come to me or not, whichever the case would have ended up being.”

“Then why did you?” Buffy reaches up and holds Tara’s hand against her chest when the Wiccan starts to remove it. Trailing her fingers down the long digits and the back of the soft flesh, Buffy waits patiently.

Tara’s hand flexes under the tender caresses, her eyes glued on Buffy’s strong, tanned hand gently caressing hers, finally exhaling softly, Tara smiles as she looks up into curious hazel eyes. “Because I wanted it more than I have ever wanted anything else in my life. I finally decided that I needed to take a chance.”

Buffy stares in stunned surprise at Tara’s words. Blinking at Tara, Buffy has a hard time processing the Wiccan’s words.

Gently removing her hand from under Buffy’s, Tara reaches up to cup the slayer’s face with both her hands and smiles lovingly at the slayer. “I want you more than I’ve ever wanted anything or anyone in my life, Buffy. I want to know what it’s like to kiss and caress you. To wake up in the morning wrapped around each other. To spend the day getting to know you and touch you, just because I can. To spend hours making love to you.” Tara whispers the last sentence almost breathlessly, before easing in to place a tender, loving kiss on Buffy’s slightly parted lips.

Whimpering quietly into the soft kiss, Buffy unconsciously shifts her body until she’s pressing against Tara, breasts to breasts, stomach to stomach and thighs to thighs. Tilting her head while running her hands up Tara’s arms to hook around Tara’s neck, she teasingly flicks her tongue against Tara’s lips.

Moaning even as she opens to Buffy’s teasing tongue, Tara returns stroke for stroke as the kiss becomes more heated and she finds herself being pressed against the counter with Buffy’s body pushing determinedly against hers. Growling into the kiss as Buffy starts to nip gently at her lips and tongue, Tara strokes her hands down to Buffy’s butt cheeks. Spreading her legs slightly she pulls Buffy in tightly against her, grinding firmly. 

“Shit!” Buffy breaks off the kiss and alternates rocking and grinding her body against Tara’s as she pants heavily, trying to drag as much oxygen as she can into her starving body. Looking down, Buffy whimpers at the sight of Tara’s heaving breasts showing. Loving the button-up blouse the witch is wearing that’s gaping nicely at this moment in time. Silently wishing Tara wasn’t wearing a bra, really wanting to see the full breasts in all their glory. “Jesus!” Buffy snarls and pulls away from Tara, bouncing off the island before leaning against the opposite counter, running shaky hands down her face and body as she tries to straighten her rumpled clothing while getting control of the pounding heat in her body. “I’m sorry.” Buffy finally gets out a few minutes later as she closes her eyes and tilts her head back, taking deep steadying breaths.

Tara stares in disbelief at the slayer’s quick retreat, before she notices the tell-tale flush of desire, along with the seriously heaving chest as Buffy’s hands work on straightening her clothes before they rub low on her abdomen. Panting quickly and softly, Tara can’t say anything for a few minutes, but continues to watch as Buffy works on getting control of the desire coursing through her, unable to take her eyes off the beautiful slayer. Finally a few minutes later, Tara hoarsely questions Buffy. “Why did you pull away?”

Buffy groans and lifts her hands to rub over her face roughly before slowly dropping them and moving her head to open her eyes and stare at Tara. “A few more minutes and I would have been ripping your clothes off, Tara. Is that answer explanation enough for you?”

Tara unconsciously looks down at her clothes. “Well, I do like this shirt, but the jeans are older, it wouldn’t have bothered me for them to meet their fate at your hands.”

Buffy drops to her knees and growls up at Tara. “Damn it, Tara! I don’t think you’re understanding me, here. I’m about ready to rip off your clothes and basically attack you… In the kitchen! I mean… I’ve got pictures going through my head of what I want to do to you, and I don’t even know if some of them are possible! You’re not helping matters either!!!”

Tara lets a slow, sensuous smile cross her face at Buffy’s words, her eyes twinkling merrily at the slayer. “Question, Buffy. Do you want to make love or wait?”

“Stupid question, Tara.” Buffy growls, her eyes gleaming with desire as she stares up at the blonde unconsciously shifting closer to Tara on her knees. 

“Are you afraid of making love with me?” Tara questions tilting her head, smirking as Buffy shifts closer. At the slayer’s quick headshake, Tara purses her lips. “Are you nervous?”

“No.” Buffy narrows her gaze on Tara, her breath catching in her chest as the witch’s hands move to the buttons on her shirt and slowly start to work their way down unbuttoning each button slowly and tantalizingly. 

“Neither am I, Buffy.” Tara offers as her hands make it to her jeans, slowly unbuttoning and unzipping them before tugging her shirt out and finishing with the buttons.

***


	4. Chapter 4

Finally realizing what’s happening Buffy jumps to her feet and gathers Tara in her arms, kissing her hungrily before picking the witch up and striding from the kitchen quickly. “This isn’t happening in the kitchen. At least not for our first time.” Buffy growls taking the steps four at a time as she hurries to her bedroom.

Tara chuckles at the slayer’s words before groaning loudly. As soon as Buffy laid her on the bed, her hot, strong hands start to stroke inside her open shirt.

“God! Your skin feels so soft and warm…” Buffy whimpers as she straddles Tara’s hips, leaning over the woman to nibble along her jaw line as she lets her fingers stroke along Tara’s sides and ribcage before they trail along the bottom edge of Tara’s bra. “Wanna touch…” Buffy slides her hands around to Tara’s back. Lifting her head as Tara arches her back to look down into dark blue eyes filled with desire. Working the hooks on Tara’s bra she lets her hands trail slowly back around to Tara’s front, her fingertips just under the edge of lace. 

Tara quirks her lips as Buffy shifts above her. Slowly stroking her hands up the slayer’s thighs, she pushes her top up so she can rub her thumbs firmly over the slayer’s taut abdomen. “Take your top off, Buffy.”

Buffy darts a glance up to Tara’s eyes, before shaking her head. “Mine.” Buffy drops her eyes back down to Tara’s chest as she slowly pushes the bra up, uncovering the pale flesh, moaning as the soft, pale pink nipples slowly harden. 

Tara growls internally as Buffy doesn’t take her top off and seems completely happy just to stare at her breasts. “Buffy…” Tara growls the slayer’s name.

“No!” Buffy growls back, before yelping as Tara’s fingers pinch her side roughly. “HEY! Not nice!” Buffy glares at Tara. 

Tara glares back before lifting up, grasping Buffy around the back and flipping the slayer around and down into the bed, pressing her body firmly into Buffy’s. “I warned you earlier about teasing me, Slayer.” Tara shimmies off her shirt and bra, tossing them away from Buffy’s bed before pushing up the slayer’s top. Starting to growl as Buffy lifts her arms effectively stopping her from removing her top, Tara’s growl turns to whimpers as strong hands stroke over her breasts before callous roughened fingers start to pinch and roll her nipples. 

Buffy smirks as Tara arches and presses into her touch. “Are we going to end up with a power struggle thing going on tonight?”

“No. As long as you let me be in charge.” Tara can’t help but smirk back at the slayer. “Top off, Buffy.” Tara finally growls the words softly, narrowing her gaze on the laughing slayer.

“Okay.” Buffy pushes up and finishes pulling off her top, tossing it across the room before wrapping her arms around Tara’s waist and rolls them back around to hover over the witch. “Top’s off, but I get to be in charge… tonight.” Buffy qualifies softly. 

Tara gently brushes the hair from Buffy’s face, seeing a serious look along with a deep seeded need in Buffy’s eyes even though the slayer still has a small smile on her face obviously trying to downplay how much she needs to be in charge. “Tonight, but tomorrow you’re mine, Slayer.” Tara growls playfully, pulling the slayer down for a heated kiss to get Buffy’s mind back on the matter at hand instead of whatever might be bothering her, knowing that eventually they’ll work through what might be going through Buffy’s mind.

Buffy whimpers into the kiss as with Tara pulling her down into the kiss, it presses her naked breasts against Tara’s fuller, lusher breasts. The kiss stoking the fire that Tara had lit inside her, the low burn that it had dropped down to starting to flame hotter and higher at the feel of her flesh against Tara’s. 

“Goddess…” Tara pants heavily as they finally break apart after battling for long minutes, locking onto hazel eyes that have darkened to more of a brown color as Buffy stares down at her. 

Buffy presses up further with one hand and brushes her thumb over Tara’s kiss swollen bottom lip, watching intently as Tara’s tongue darts out to flick over her thumb. “In a way I want to go slow, touch and kiss you everywhere. But in another way I want to strip you naked and find out what it feels like to be inside you, to touch and taste you. To find out what you look like when you come… for me to be able to pleasure you until you come calling my name.” Buffy roughly whispers, wanting to hear her name cried out from the Wiccan’s pouty lips more than she would have ever believed possible. To see if she can make Tara explode so her climax and juices are soaking her, having a gut feeling that Tara will be more than able to return the favor. 

Tara exhales shakily as the slayer’s words shoot straight through her body, making her pound even harder with desire. It takes a few moments to get her brain working properly before she finally comments softly. “Unless this is going to be a one-time deal, you’ll have your chance to do both… multiple times, tonight and in the future.” Tara points out softly, grinning crookedly as Buffy’s eyes light up at the thought.

“I… well… Damn.” Buffy shakes her head, chuckling and burying her face in Tara’s neck. “Do you mind if the first time might be a little on the… quick side?” Buffy questions hoarsely, pressing her lower body down against Tara’s thigh, wishing it was the witch’s skin she was pressing against. 

“Not at all… as a matter of fact it probably won’t take much for me anyway this first go round.” Tara admits, chuckling at the quiet laughter she hears coming from Buffy. “But one thing, we have GOT to get the clothes out of the way. I prefer nakedness compared to dry humping any day of the week.”

“I ain’t exactly dry.” Buffy admits laughing loudly as Tara’s hand smacks her on the butt. Pushing slowly up to look down into twinkling blue eyes, Buffy shakes her head. “Remind me to kick myself for not saying something to you months ago.” Buffy presses a soft kiss to Tara’s lips as the witch starts to open them to argue, having seen the twinkling tone down in her blue eyes. “Right now, I want to strip you and me then see what I can do to make us both a little less achy and hurting.”

“It’ll be easier stripping if you roll off me, and if you’re willing I’ll guide us to the first release then you can go from there.” Tara offers softly, slowly stroking a hand up Buffy’s back. 

“Guide?” Buffy re-confirms and relaxes as Tara nods and grins at her. “You’ve got a deal.” Buffy rolls off Tara and stands quickly on the floor even as her hands are already unbuttoning and unzipping her pants, pushing them down.

Tara snorts back a laugh at the eagerness with which the slayer is stripping until her eyes follow the slayer’s movements and sees the smooth, completely bald mound of the slayer glinting with the woman’s arousal. Swallowing hard at the sight, Tara’s hands drop to her own pants, pushing them and her panties down as she arches up in the bed, not needing to undo them since she’d already undone them in the kitchen. 

Buffy kicks off her jeans, her eyes watching as Tara’s hands push her jeans and panties down silky legs, her eyes catching for a moment on the narrow strip of dark golden curls at the top of Tara’s apex. Licking her suddenly dry lips, Buffy reaches over to help pull the clothes the rest of the way off Tara’s body, letting them drop to the floor before she climbs slowly onto the bed.

Tara reaches for the slayer, urging her to come above her even as she pulls the slayer down, pressing her thigh up against the hot, wet heat of Buffy’s center while pushing up against the slayer’s hip. 

Buffy hisses quietly and closes her eyes as she pushes down against Tara’s firm thigh, hearing the low groan coming from Tara as she rocks against the Wiccan, feeling the wetness of Tara’s desire painting her hip even as she slicks the woman’s thigh with her own desire. Pressing her body more firmly against Tara’s, she opens her eyes and looks down into dark blue eyes watching her. “God, you’re beautiful.” Buffy whispers hoarsely, leaning down to kiss Tara softly, in direct contrast to her body that is picking up speed as she draws closer to release her body coiling tightly. 

Tara whimpers into the soft, loving kiss, burying her hands in Buffy’s hair to hold the slayer to her even as she feels the orgasm coalesce inside her, gathering hot and pounding between her legs. When Buffy presses harder down onto her, the warmth of the slayer’s release easing onto her thigh combines to push her over the edge, her clitoris pulsing uncontrollably as a small flood heralding her own climax eases onto Buffy’s hip and down between her own legs.

Buffy grunts quietly into the kiss as she climaxes breaking off the kiss at the low whimpers coming from Tara as she feels an answering wetness coming from her lover. “God.” Buffy groans, burying her face in Tara’s neck as she continues to rock against the Wiccan. Wanting to keep going until she climaxes again, Buffy nips on Tara’s neck. “Can I continue?”

Hearing the pleading note in Buffy’s voice even as the slayer doesn’t slow her fast rocking motion, Tara nods her head and moves her hands from Buffy’s head to drag her short nails gently down the slayer’s back and grasp the woman’s butt cheeks, urging her silently on. Burying her heels in the bed, Tara pushes up hard into the slayer, counter-thrusting against the woman as Buffy’s movements become faster and more erratic.

“Oh, shit!” Buffy bucks uncontrollably as a more intense orgasm starts to flow through her. Grinding hard into Tara’s thigh, she bites Tara firmly on the shoulder at the pleasurable burning sensation as her clit becomes super-sensitized with her climax.

Tara cries out, arching hard into the hipbone of the slayer barely aware of the pain in her shoulder where Buffy bit her, flooding the slayer’s hip with her orgasm before collapsing back onto the bed, the slayer’s solid weight pressing into her from above. Wrapping her somewhat shaky arms around Buffy’s waist, Tara pants quietly against Buffy’s head as she turns to press her lips against the slayer’s temple. 

Turning her face to nuzzle gently against Tara’s neck, Buffy slowly comes down from the intense orgasm, sighing quietly as she feels her body’s shaking calm down. Slowly trailing her tongue around Tara’s pulse point, smirking as she hears the low groan come from the Wiccan, Buffy presses her lips firmly against the flesh. “Should I move?”

“No.” Tara clenches her arms tightly around the slayer as some of her strength returns, grinning at the quiet laughter coming from the slayer. 

“I may be small, but I’m kind of heavy.” Buffy points out, trailing small kisses along the flesh she can reach. Pressing one firmer kiss to the small teeth marks she comes across, sighing quietly. Thankful she didn’t break the skin, but knowing it had to hurt somewhat. “I’m sorry.” 

“Sorry?” Tara questions curiously, frowning as she turns her head to look at the slayer.

Buffy shifts and pushes herself up slightly off Tara and reaches over to run a finger over the flesh that is already bruising. “I bit and hurt you.” Buffy frowns heavily at the sight of the bruise, mentally castigating herself. 

“Shhh.” Tara reaches up to soothe the frown between Buffy’s eyes and places a soft kiss on the slayer’s jaw. “I barely felt it, Buffy. It isn’t even sore.”

“It’s already bruising.” Buffy argues trailing a finger gently over the area.

“Honey, I bruise easily. Don’t worry about it, I’m not.” Tara orders softly, hooking her hand around Buffy’s neck and pulling the slayer down to her so she can kiss her firmly. “Stop worrying about it. If you do anything that I don’t like, I’ll let you know.” Tara growls into Buffy’s ear, nipping the lobe sharply. Smirking as she hears the quiet yelp come from Buffy with her bite. “Plus there’s always payback’s!!”

“Brat.” Buffy chuckles and relaxes as she feels the Wiccan’s body shaking with laughter under her. Pressing another kiss over the bruise, Buffy shifts her body to lie more beside the Wiccan instead of on her. Smiling as Tara’s head shifts and she looks inquiringly at her, Buffy shrugs. “I want to touch and look at you. Now that the immediate hunger pains have been assuaged, I want to explore.”

Tara shifts her body to face Buffy on her side, smiling crookedly at the slayer as she throws her leg over Buffy’s hip. “Explore to your heart’s content, honey.”

Buffy feels her breath catch in her chest at the sight of the beautiful woman before her, running her fingers through the damp blonde hair, pushing it away from Tara’s face before trailing her fingertips over Tara’s cheek to her jaw to play softly over full, pouty lips. “You are an absolutely beautiful woman, Tara. You’re one of those rare people that are as gorgeous on the inside as you are on the outside and I hope and pray I don’t screw up with you.” Buffy presses her finger to Tara’s lips and shakes her head. “My track record isn’t good, Tara. Angel lost his soul and eventually ended up going to LA. Parker was an asshole that wanted one thing and as soon as he got it he was gone. I ran Riley off and only went after him as I became afraid of dying alone thankfully it was too late when I caught up to the helicopter he left on.” Buffy furrows her brows at that thought, realizing it would have been the wrong thing to do with the soldier. “Then I ended up staking Spike. So having a decent relationship and me not screwing it up somehow or another isn’t looking too good.”

Tara gently pulls Buffy’s hand away from her lips and tucks the hand against her chest as she searches Buffy’s eyes. “First off, you couldn’t help the fact that Angel was cursed and lost his soul. There are ‘Parker’s’ all over the world, Buffy. And unfortunately that’s a fact of life most of us have to deal with. As for Riley, I was here while you two were a couple and know what went on. He never really accepted the fact that you being the ‘Slayer’ is NOT a career choice. He wanted to think you could hang up your stake like he did his gun at the end of the day and have a regular life. And unfortunately, that would have eventually come between you two because he could never understand the difference. As for staking Spike? If you hadn’t already done it, I probably would have.” Tara admits in all honesty.

Buffy’s blinks as she stares at Tara in shock with her last comment. Knowing the Wiccan is very serious. “But… wha-… huh?”

Tara chuckles softly and presses her lips against Buffy’s forehead. “I can put up with a lot, but the thought of him sniffing around you like a dog in heat would have made the angry Witch of the West come out to play and he would have been an extremely hurting puppy before I put him out of his misery. So, from his place in hell, he should be thankful you got to him first instead of me.”

“Tara!” Buffy stares at Tara, not believing the woman until she looks deep into serious blue eyes and sees the flame of anger and retribution flaming brightly. “You would have.”

“In a heartbeat.” Tara admits, nodding her head at Buffy. “He wouldn’t have given you up, Buffy. And he would have searched the world over until he found a way around his chip and come after the rest of us eventually, me especially with what is between you and me.” Tara drops her eyes as she remembers one run in with the vampire.

“Tara?” Buffy reaches up and gently pushes up on Tara’s chin until the Wiccan is looking her in the eyes again, seeing a shadow there that she hasn’t seen since Tara had originally broken up with Willow. “What happened?”

Tara hesitates, almost unwilling to tell Buffy about the short, heated discussion that she’d had with the vampire, but seeing the stubborn look coming into Buffy’s eyes, she sighs heavily. “I would say probably not too long before you dusted him, he was following you and noticed you were spending an awful lot of time at the campus.” Tara starts softly, watching the anger already boiling to life in Buffy’s eyes. “He cornered me on the way back from the library one night and warned me off you. I basically told him to go fuck himself and that if he didn’t want to ride the next fireball straight to hell, he’d leave you alone and never be within sight of me again.”

Buffy’s thoughts turn inwards as she remembers the night she’d staked Spike after the huge row with Willow. Spike had made some kind of comment at the time that didn’t make a hell of a lot of sense before she’d dusted him, but now that she recalls it, she realizes it does make sense. “You’re my sunlight.” Buffy whispers softly, focusing back in on Tara. “The night I dusted him, he made the comment that if I didn’t kill him my sunlight would. It was after I’d already beaten him and was getting ready to stake him, I honestly thought he might have been channeling Drusilla for a moment there. I didn’t even question the comment, it didn’t make any sense and I figured it was just his way of trying to get me to stop from dusting him.” Searching Tara’s eyes Buffy blinks and starts to chuckle. “You let him know that you could follow up on your promise, didn’t you? I seem to remember him having a scorch mark on his neck.”

Blushing lightly, Tara closes her eyes and nods her head. “Lucky for him he dodged out of the way, or he would have been dusted that night when he pissed me off.”

“Are you going to tell me what he said?” Buffy questions softly, stroking a hand slowly down Tara’s neck and over her shoulder down her arm to her waist and thigh, finally grasping the woman’s leg where it was still resting over top of her hip. 

“Does it really matter now?” Tara tilts her head and grins crookedly at the slayer.

“I guess not, but I was just curious what he would have said to make you that pissed off.” Buffy slowly slips her hand to the back of Tara’s thigh, sliding it up and down over the soft, silky flesh. 

“All it will do is piss me off again, and probably make you angry also. Now that he’s gone, it’s kind of a moot point.” Tara shrugs as she shifts her leg a little further up Buffy’s body, groaning lowly as the strong hand strokes further upwards, brushing against her center. 

“Promise me that one day you’ll tell me?” Buffy hoarsely questions, the wetness coming from her lover coating her hand where she’d brushed against Tara’s apex. The heat coming from the Wiccan making her pant lightly even as she fights the urge to shift back slightly and slip her hand between Tara’s legs and bury her fingers deep inside the Wiccan. Wanting to find out what it feels like to touch Tara intimately, to be inside her and learn what it feels like to have her wet heat surrounding her. 

“I promise.” Tara rests her forehead against Buffy’s, as she closes her eyes, unconsciously rocking her hips lightly as she starts to throb with want as Buffy’s callous roughened hand strokes up and down her leg, the fingers brushing between her butt cheeks to barely trail over her swollen outer lips. “Are you planning on teasing me all night?” Tara finally questions a few minutes later as Buffy’s fingers continue the soft stroking.

“Maybe.” Buffy admits, chuckling softly. “Your skin is so soft and smooth.” Buffy trails her fingertips over Tara’s butt cheek while stroking her thumb across the indent of her hip. 

Tara growls playfully before reaching between their bodies to pinch the slayer’s nipple, giggling at the quiet, surprised yelp that comes from the slayer. “There’s a spot that the skin is even softer.” Tara hints as she lifts her leg off Buffy’s hip and places her foot flat on the bed, opening herself more to the slayer as she rocks her hips playfully towards the small blonde. 

Buffy grins hugely at the not so subtle hints coming from Tara. “There is? I can’t believe there’s any softer skin than…” Buffy drops her gaze to her hand as she trails up the Wiccan’s ribcage to cup the soft flesh of her breast. Brushing her thumb over the warm flesh but not coming into contact with the contracting areola and the hardening nipple. Smirking at the pink nipple flushing a dark rosy color, Buffy slowly drags her eyes up to look into heated blue eyes. 

Tara narrows her gaze on the smirking slayer. “You’re teasing me, Buffy.” Watching as Buffy’s eyes twinkle merrily and her grin just gets bigger, Tara purses her lips in consideration. When Buffy continues to tease the flesh all around her nipple, but never comes into contact with it, Tara slowly grins as an idea occurs to her. 

Buffy’s grin freezes as she watches Tara’s hand lift, reaching for and starting to caress the now rosy colored nipple she’d been teasing by not coming into contact with the hard flesh, a low rumbling growl works its way through her body as Tara’s fingers pluck, twist and pull on the flesh even as the most delightful sounding moans, groans and whimpers start coming from Tara. “MINE!” Buffy snarls, pulls Tara’s hand away and takes over tormenting the hard nipple.

Tara whimpers softly as the strong fingers of the slayer start to torture her in an absolutely delightful way. Slowly licking her lips, she waits until the smile starts to relax and curl up the slayer’s lips even more as the woman seems to be perfectly content with the flesh she’s playing with. Shaking her head slightly at the slayer’s single-mindedness, Tara lets Buffy play for roughly ten minutes before deciding to move things along. 

Buffy’s brows start to furrow and she slowly frowns as her smile falls as she lets her eyes drop to the hand that’s making its way down Tara’s stomach and plays over the woman’s golden curls. Eyes widening in surprise and shock, she holds her breath as slim fingers slip further down, separating glistening, swollen lips and a single digit starts to stroke over the flesh that had been hidden away by the outer lips. Buffy’s unaware of the low whimper that escapes her lips as the single digit pulls away from the flesh, hesitating for a moment, the light reflecting off the damp digit before it meets the surging flesh as Tara bucks towards the hand. 

Tara fights the desire coursing through her body as she watches the emotions crossing Buffy’s face, though the slayer doesn’t move she watches her hand intently. Stroking a couple more times over her engorged flesh, Tara pulls her hand away and trails it up her body, leaving a glistening trail on her flesh. Fighting the chuckle wanting to escape her as Buffy’s eyes stay glued to her hand, Tara slowly trails it the rest of the way upwards, wiggling it teasingly as she smirks at the slayer before wrapping her lips around her own finger and sucking the leftover desire off it. 

Buffy pants heavily as her eyes stay on Tara, feeling entranced by the woman’s actions as Tara’s pink tongue darts out to swirl around the digit before disappearing back between pouty lips.

“Do you think you can follow the trail, Slayer?” Tara lets her finger start to work its way back downwards, following along the same line it had trailed upwards.

Buffy growls, gently pushing Tara onto her back and slips her legs between Tara’s shifting Tara’s legs apart as she hovers above the Wiccan. Starting at Tara’s lips, Buffy lets her tongue and lips travel down the Wiccan’s body, following the delightfully sweet and lightly musky trail down the center of Tara’s body.

Tara’s breath catches in her chest as the slayer doesn’t deviate, but makes her way determinedly down her body, groaning loudly as fingers hesitantly stroke over her outer lips, separating them to allow the slayer’s hot breath to caress over her pulsing clitoris.

Buffy exhales softly at the smooth silky skin under her fingertips. “You’re right, the skin is softer here.” Buffy grins at the low chuckle that comes from the Wiccan. 

“Did you think I’d lie to… Oh, Goddess!” Tara calls out softly, bucking uncontrollably as Buffy’s fingers slide inside her. Digging her fingers into the bedding as the strong fingers start to stroke and caress inside her. 

Buffy growls softly at the feel of the wet heat surrounding her fingers. The Wiccan’s inner muscles clenching and unclenching with more rapidity is a unique and arousing experience. Inhaling deeply of the woman’s arousal, Buffy finishes closing the distance between Tara’s blood-engorged flesh and her lips to trail her tongue teasingly over Tara’s clit. 

“BUFFY!” Tara cries out loudly, grasping for the slayer’s head as Buffy flicks her tongue over her sensitive, swollen flesh, the touch all it takes to send her highly aroused body into an extremely powerful orgasm.

Buffy groans deeply, and continues to stroke inside Tara for a few moments before easing her fingers out of the woman’s center and nuzzles her way firmly between Tara’s swollen lips and works on learning Tara’s body with her lips and tongue, gathering more of the delightful Wiccan’s flavor as she does, smirking when she feels a half-hearted tug on the hair Tara’s gripping in both her hands now. “I’m stubborn, and I’m perfectly content where I am.” Buffy warns softly before placing gentle nips along Tara’s outer lips before trailing her tongue between them to traverse the Wiccan’s inner folds of flesh, slowly dragging the length of her tongue over Tara’s clit.

“Want you.” Tara whimpers out the two words even as she arches into the slayer’s talented mouth as Buffy wraps her lips around her aching clit and starts to suckle gently. 

Buffy growls softly, releasing the flesh and chuckling deeply as with her growl Tara had jerked and a small flood of liquid had come from the Wiccan heralding another orgasm. “Tonight’s my turn. If you still have the strength, it’s your turn tomorrow morning. But for now, I suggest you relax and enjoy the ride.” Buffy explains softly wiggling her body to situate herself a little more, planning on spending the majority of the night right where she is.

“Oh, Goddess…” Tara can’t help the roll of her hips as Buffy buries her tongue inside her and swirls it around. “I love you.” Tara hoarsely whispers, gently running her fingers through Buffy’s hair as she relaxes back into the bed, knowing how stubborn Buffy can be, she honestly doesn’t think she’ll have much luck in changing the slayer’s mind… not that she’s entirely sure she would want to change it.

“And I love you.” Buffy answers softly back, pressing hot, desire-filled kisses over Tara’s flesh. Smiling as she looks up into loving blue eyes staring down at her, a feeling of rightness and coming home flowing through her body as she looks into the blue depths. 

Tara smiles in response to the happiness and love she sees directed at her from her lover. Moaning and taking Buffy’s advice to relax, Tara drops back onto the bed. Closing her eyes and the smile softens around her lips as fingers, lips and tongue work on learning her body slowly and intimately as the slayer works on loving her with everything at her disposal.

***


	5. Chapter 5

“Tara?” Buffy hazily calls the Wiccan’s name, something waking her, but having only fallen asleep about an hour earlier, she isn’t functioning quite properly yet. Having to smile at the grunt she receives in response and Tara’s grip around her waist tightening as the Wiccan burrows tighter against her even as she hears the soft snores escaping from the blonde. Half-heartedly reaching for the covers that had slid down around her waist, Buffy tugs on it only to give up as it’s wrapped around under them, falling back asleep within seconds after she stopped worrying about the covers, having to admit Tara plastered over half her body was more than enough to keep her warm from the air conditioning. 

***

Dawn lets herself into the house, blinking in surprise at the quiet stillness. Glancing at the clock before heading for the stairs, she shakes her head. “It’s almost eleven, Buffy should be up.” Dawn mumbles to herself as she turns at the landing and slows down as she notices the door to her sister’s room is open. Glancing in about ready to pick on her sister about sleeping in as she sees her on the bed, she stares in shock as it takes a few moments for her brain to assimilate the fact that her sister and Tara are in bed together… naked… and obviously having spent an energetic night if the marks on each woman’s body, along with the covers being twisted up, at least the ones that didn’t end up on the floor are any indication. 

Dawn can’t tear her eyes off the sight of the two women. The small smiles on both women’s faces and the way Buffy has Tara wrapped up in her arms as if she never wants to let her go, hitting her hard. It occurring to her that her sister hasn’t seemed to be really, truly happy in longer than she can remember. Slowly easing away from the doorway, she makes her way to her room and carefully closes her door and stands there in contemplation. Squeaking as she really realizes that Buffy and Tara had obviously slept together… the hot and heavy kind of sleeping together. Covering her mouth with her hands, she tries to fight the giggles trying to escape at the thought of her boy-crazy sister hooking up with a woman. Of course, Tara isn’t just any woman, and she honestly has a crush herself on the blonde Wiccan. 

Of course she knows nothing would ever happen between them. But the beautiful blonde made it easy to love and care for her. Giggling uncontrollably at the thought that at least one of the Summers’ women got the Wiccan, Dawn collapses on her bed and buries her face in her pillow to try and muffle the laughter welling up. 

***

Buffy growls as she wakes again a few minutes later. Listening intently, her eyes dart towards her open bedroom door as she swears she hears muffled laughter. When it doesn’t abate and continues, she gently eases Tara’s arm away from her waist and slips from beneath the woman’s body.

“Slayer, get back here.” Tara growls, snatching Buffy’s wrist and holding her by the bed. Looking up blearily at the slayer, Tara feels a slow smirk cross her face at the sight of the disheveled woman. Groaning and burying her face in the pillow as she knows she probably looks even worse than Buffy. “Morning, my turn, remember?”

“Ummm…” Buffy looks from Tara to her open door and the muffled laughter she can still hear coming from Dawn’s room. “I don’t think we have the house to ourselves anymore.” Buffy finally admits, turning back to Tara as she feels the Wiccan jump.

“What?” Tara’s bolts up in the bed all sign of sleepiness gone in a heartbeat. 

“Tara, if Dawn’s home, it’s a little too late for that.” Buffy snorts as Tara starts scrambling to cover herself with the twisted sheet, it only covering about half the woman’s attributes. “And not hiding much.” Buffy chuckles as she reaches out and strokes a finger over a soft nipple, laughing as it hardens instantly even as Tara smacks at her hand.

“Dawn’s here, Buffy!” Tara smacks the playful hand, dropping the sheet uncovering her other breast, growling at the slayer as Buffy’s other hand darts in and pinches the other nipple. 

“Maybe she is, maybe she isn’t. Maybe the giggles and laughter I’m hearing are a figment of my imagination.” Buffy offers, pinching both nipples and darting away as Tara tries to smack both her hands. 

“This could be bad, Dawn might freak… Giggles and laughter?” Tara stops as the slayer’s words sink into her mind, her eyes wide in shock as she stares at Buffy. 

“Yep.” Buffy grins at the Wiccan, it occurring to her right off the bat that it had to be Dawn, and if her sister didn’t wake them with a temper tantrum and instead quietly went to her room to have a giggle fit, she obviously wasn’t going to have a problem with them being a couple. Reaching for her robe, Buffy shrugs into it, tying the belt tightly. “If there’s a problem, I’ll call you. But plan on going back to sleep. We haven’t been asleep for long.”

“I should come with you.” Tara pushes up from the bed only to glare at Buffy as the slayer pushes her gently back into it. 

“Lie down, Tara.” Buffy orders softly, shaking her head. “I’ll deal with Dawn, you go back to sleep, you’re tired.” 

Tara searches Buffy’s eyes and sees the warmth and caring showing, along with a hint of humor glimmering in the depths. “Morning’s almost over, and I haven’t…” Tara chuckles as a hand covers her mouth.

“I’ll give you your chance at a later date… or maybe later tonight. I promise, but it’s a little too late to worry about you having me this morning.” Buffy looks knowingly at the clock, before dropping her hand from Tara’s mouth and kissing the Wiccan firmly. “I have a feeling when you get started, you’ll be almost as bad as me.”

“If I have the staying stamina.” Tara chuckles wickedly at the slayer and eyes the woman up and down, liking the silky black short robe she’s wearing. “I like that robe, of course I like what’s under it a hell of a lot better.”

“Tara!” Buffy tries to act scandalized, before winking at her and turning around to sashay out of the room, fighting the laughter wanting to come out at the growled ‘slayer’ coming from Tara.

***

Buffy quietly pushes open the door to Dawn’s room, standing there watching the shaking shoulders of her sister and the laughter being muffled by the pillow the teenager has her face buried in. Quirking an eyebrow upwards as Dawn starts to mumble softly, Buffy crosses her arms over her chest.

“Buffy and Tara sitting in a tree. K-I-S-S-I-N-G!” Dawn snorts into her pillow, fighting the laughter. “More than kissing!! Gotta ask Buffy if she’s been fighting the vampires so long that she thinks she’s a vampire!! Poor Tara looked like she has some kind of disease!” Dawn mumbles into her pillow, giggling at the thought before squeaking and jumping uncontrollably as a firm hand smacks her lightly on the butt.

“What were you saying, Dawn?” Buffy glares at the teenager, watching her blush darkly in embarrassment before paling. 

“Nothing! Absolutely nothing!” Dawn’s eyes widen as Buffy glares at her, unconsciously backing against the headboard of her bed. Exhaling and relaxing as Buffy starts to grin at her.

“Relax, Dawn. I’m not mad.” Buffy chuckles and settles on the edge of the bed watching her sister as she becomes serious. “I’m sorry that you…” Buffy blushes and waves her hand towards her room. “Tara and I kind of had a serious discussion last night and things kind of went from there. I wanted you to know about where our relationship is going… but not like that.” 

Seeing how serious Buffy is and the dark blush crossing her sister’s face makes her serious too. “How long have you liked her, Buffy?” Dawn questions softly, watching as Buffy relaxes and a distant look come into her eyes.

“Months… longer.” Buffy whispers running a hand through her hair. “I’ve kind of fallen in love with her, Dawn.” Buffy admits, slowly looking up from where she’d unconsciously looked down to play over the bedspread. “And for some crazy reason she returns the feelings.” 

Dawn swallows and slowly nods her head. “Good. Now you can make her move back where she belongs. And Buffy?” Dawn notices Buffy relaxing and a smile crossing her face at her words.

“Yes?” Buffy starts to stand stopping at Dawn’s questioning tone.

“Don’t screw this up. You may be stronger than me, but I’ll so kick your ass if you hurt her or make her run off.” Dawn warns seriously, her eyes narrowed on her sister. 

Buffy shakes her head and chuckles as she stands. “No reservations with her, Dawn. Everyone else in my past there was something that just didn’t click completely. With her… it feels right, here…” Buffy rubs a hand over her heart before moving it to her head and tapping the side of it. “And here. Now, we literally just got to sleep a little before you got home, so I’m going to go crash for a few hours, so if you can keep the noise level to a low roar.” Buffy not so subtly hints for Dawn to stay quiet, ignoring the smirk crossing her sister’s face.

Dawn struggles not to be a smartass and tell Buffy to make sure they keep it to a low roar, too. Deciding that she’ll get more mileage out of picking on both women together, she holds her tongue and watches Buffy slip out of the room, pulling the door shut behind her. 

Buffy sighs in relief as Dawn doesn’t say anything else, though she’d seen the glimmer in her sister’s eyes, knowing that the brat was obviously thinking of something. Having no doubt that there definitely will be comments coming from her in the future, but just extremely pleased that it wasn’t going to be a major drag-down and Dawn is honestly happy that they are a couple. 

Slipping into the room, Buffy shuts the door before shrugging off the robe and letting it hit the floor, smiling at the crooked grin coming from her lover as Tara holds the covers back in invitation. Sliding between the sheets and urging Tara back in the general position that they’d been in before she’d heard Dawn. “Sleep. You’re tired, and other than the fact I believe we’re going to be in for some serious teasing and ribbing in the future, Dawn’s more than okay with us.”

Tara relaxes, having tensed somewhat as she’d straightened the covers on the bed while waiting for Buffy to come back to the room. Nuzzling the slayer’s neck, Tara rubs her leg over the slayer’s strong thighs and rubs her hand up and down the slayer’s ribs. “Picking on us is allowed. Especially considering what she probably saw. Of course, we’ll be sure to make sure the door’s shut and locked from now on.”

“She made the comment about it was good, because that means you’ll be coming home where you belong.” Buffy smiles and closes her eyes at the quiet chuckle coming from Tara. 

“Coming home is a good thing.” Tara murmurs, the long, energetic night catching up to her as she starts to drift off. “Change is good, especially for us in this instance.”

“Changes are very, very good as long as you and I will be together from now on. I’m not going to allow that to change… no matter what.” Buffy warns softly, before realizing Tara’s already asleep. Running her fingers through the silky blonde hair, Buffy closes her eyes and enjoys the weight and feel of Tara’s body being against hers. “I love you.” Buffy whispers to the sleeping Wiccan and presses her lips to the top of her head before she slowly follows Tara into the land of dreams. 

The End


End file.
